Grey and Red
by nic73
Summary: This idea came to me while I was pondering on the rainbow challenge on Paint it Red. This story didn't work for this challenge but I liked it and wanted to write it anyway. The chapters will be short introducing a new colour.
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes:

This idea came to me while I was pondering on the rainbow challenge on Paint it Red. This story didn't work for this challenge but I liked it and wanted to write it anyway. The chapters will be short introducing a new colour.

His world turned grey the moment he read the note on his bedroom door. It was the strangest thing, his bedroom walls were suppose to be sunshine yellow. He remembers all the care and attention that went into choosing the colour. Angela had brought home countless tester pots before deciding on the first one she had chosen. He teased her about it for weeks. But the yellow walls have disappeared. Jane's world's been covered in a blanket of grey. Well not entirely grey, there's also red! Angela's body was covered in it. He used to love to see her in a short red dress she wore when they went out for their 1st anniversary but now he doubts he will ever like the colour red again and yet - the only cars he sees are red, the little girl he notices has a red t-shirt on, the only time he sees the sun is when it's burning up the sky at the end of another miserable day. His only request at the funeral was no red. So it was a grey funeral. Everyone was in grey, the flowers were grey, the food. He walked through his grey world day after day, hour after hour, minute after minute, until one second he turned his world to black.


	2. White

Jane wakes up in a room that isn't his own but is entirely grey.

It seems like he's to be in this room a while, maybe it's his room forever, and he's missing red. He didn't expect to miss red but it seems he can't sleep without it, so he adds some red.

He wakes up to find himself strapped down, at first he panics but then he sees the red and it brings him comfort.

A funny thing is happening to Jane, white is being added to his world. It comes and goes in the form of Sophie Miller. At first it's too bright, it blinds him, but then Sophie starts leaving a little of her white behind.

His room's now totally white and Sophie says it's time for him to leave, together they've worked hard for this day and he feels ready.

"Be well Patrick"


	3. Green

Jane leans back in his chair, his breakfast cup of tea finished. His taste buds died with his wife and child. He looks down and checks that he's dressed, as normal he can't remember doing it. He picks up his cup and runs it under the tap. his movements are heavy. He spends his day making his way through a mixture of sludge and blood. He takes a deep breath and picks up his keys, he has somewhere to be today.

Jane picks up his vest and puts it on and then his jacket. He looks at himself in the mirror in his motel room. Perhaps this will please his new boss. His mind travells back to the evening when he helped the police uncover a murderer. He felt unsure at first, but once he realized how he could get the perpetrator to reveal himself he felt an excitement in the bottom of his stomach - it felt foreign. He felt guilty afterwards and when Virgil approached him about hiring him as a Consultant his first reaction was to say no. But it hadn't been that easy he found himself being pulled towards the CBI building. It had a hold over him that he couldn't free himself from, he wasn't strong enough.

It's the Red John files that awaited him and the best chance he has of catching Red John and getting his revenge. He steps off the elevator and nods to his colleagues, then Teresa Lisbon's before him and for the first time he notices the vividness of her green eyes.


	4. brown

Jane notices a man in the distance who's wearing beads in his hair done the same way as the victim. He knows he needs to get this man's attention. After talking with the victims school friends Cho and Rigsby are about to leave to head back to headquarters, Jane announces that he'ss liking it on the beach and that he'ss going to stay awhile. Rigsby and Cho leave and he flopps down on to the sand. Jane stares out to sea and a little smile draws at his mouth as a picture of Charlotte paddling in the ocean comes flashing into his mind. He tries to push it away but it doesn't go. The sea back then was a sparkling blue and the sand a luscious golden brown, Charlotte had loved the beach as much as Jane and it was their favourite time together. Unaware Jane has stripped himself of his Jacket and shoes and socks, he stands and walks along the shore revelling in his memories for as long as he can before they bring him to his knees. He discoveres to his surprise that instead the pain is manageable, he has crossed a line somewhere, somehow, he will ponder on when that happened later. Right now he wants to build a sandcastle. All he has are his shoes but hey, they're just shoes. He kneels on the sand and with shoe in hand he starts to dig. He finds he's attracted the attention of a fellow builder when he's asked:

"Didn't you bring a bucket?"

Jane looks up and shakes his head at the little girl who addressed him. The girl's obviously dumbfounded at his lack of forethought but then picks up one of her own buckets and reaches it out to him. Jane is stunned at the kind act of the little girl, he leans forward with a trembling hand as his chest constricts with emotion. He accepts the gift and the sand that fills the bucket is the most glorious brown he has ever seen.


	5. Pink

He held a baby. Her Mother had been shot and the baby was left in the car. he never even hesitated to pick her up. He didn't give a thought to the memories that it would trigger, and it was nice. That was the surprising thing about it. It was nice, delicious, in fact. The baby smell, the feel of her in his arms. she smiled at him and touched his face with her chubby baby hands...and it was nice, He didn't want to let her go.

Today He dropped her off at her grandparents where he knows she'll bring great comfort. Along with the diapers and formula that he gave them, there's a cute dress he saw in the baby boutique he somehow found himself in - all ribbons and lace and pink.


	6. Blue

He spent a weekend in prison. Lisbon came to visit and told him that she hopes he's learning a lesson and he did! Two in fact, but he doesn't think they're the lessons she was hoping for. He learnt that one, Ihecan survive prison and two, he can escape. All good things to know with his plans for Red John. Since Lisbon managed to secure his release by blackmailing Bosco the sky has never looked so blue.


	7. Purple

Jane is talking to Lisbon trying to get her to sign off on the day's pass that he had promised Rigsby when, she suddenly breaks into a big smile.

"I love this song"

She loves this song! On impulse Jane asks her to dance, unable to resist the longing on her face. She, of course refuses but it's not hard for him to persuade her. He leads her to the dance floor and takes her in his arms. It feels strange. He hasn't danced with anyone since Angela died, he hasn't done anything with a woman since Angela died. He tries some banter with Lisbon about what instrument she played in school but he can tell that she's lost in the music. The first time he danced with Angela was at the Wedding of the Lion tamer, She was a bridesmaid and was wearing a purple gown. It was the first time he realized how beautiful she was. Until then she'd always been Angela, the irritating little girl who tagged along all the time. Lisbon adjusts her position and it brings him back to the present. But he doesn't mind, the present is good. He's here with the woman who's become his best friend. It took a while for her to understand the way he worked and he irritates her most of the time. But now they work well together. He enjoys coming to work and can't imagine not having Lisbon in his day. He just hopes that he doesn't end up hurting her along the way to his revenge. He knows he'll do anything to keep her safe. The music comes to an end and he lets go of her with surprising reluctance and she turns to leave. He shoves his hands in his pockets and tries to ignore how empty his arms feel. He hits a purple balloon on the way out of the hall and doesn't realize that he's humming.


	8. Orange

Jane walks down the hallway to the cell, wondering why he's doing this rather than resting in the attic. Listening to the confessions of a dranged cop killer is not on his list of things to do this evening. The guard opens the door and first they feel the heat and then the desperate struggles of a man in agony as flames leaping from his body come into view. Jane's routed to the spot until the guard pushes him out of the way and douses the flames.

Jane sits at Todd Johnson's bedside not really sure why he's here. The horror of watching him burn has infused a connection that he feels compelled to see through to either the man's death, or recovery. Lisbon come's in with the news that Johnson is dying. Jane finds he feels nothing. Lisbon leaves to return to the office. Suddenly Johnson stirs and turns towards Jane,

"Tyger, tyger"

Jane's stunned and barely aware of the activity going on around him as Johnson goes into cardiac arrest. What has Todd Johnson to do with Red John? He wasn't attacked because he was a cop killer but because he was going to tell the goods on Red John. Red John has a mole in the CBI! He doesn't know I know! He doesn't know I know! It's going around in his mind as a mantra as he makes his way back to the CBI enjoying the most glorious sunrise, the sky looks like it's on fire.


	9. yellow

He watched a man die. He killed himself. Jane told him that he wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do, but it was all so peaceful, maybe...

At a crime scene today, The sun was strong. Jane bathed in it, stood there and it's warmth engulfed him, it was all so peaceful, maybe...


	10. Red

Jane's riding in the familiar elevator. It's been two months since the capture of Red John and he's safely going through the court system. Jane's now fully recovered from the injuries sustained and been cleared to return to work. He rubs his finger on his left hand, it still feels strange to be without his wedding ring but his family has been revenged and he can now move on. The elevator pings and the doors open. He feels uncharacteristically nervous as he steps out. This is a new world for him, a world not consumed with Red John. He enters Lisbon's office and is relieved to find that he's beaten her in. He places the package he's carrying, a dozen long stem red roses, attached is a note:

'Thank you Lisbon for saving me in every way.'


End file.
